EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0089*
HOUSE BILL 89
E2 5lr0999
HB 667/24 – JUD (PRE–FILED) CF SB 152
By: Delegate Embry
Requested: September 29, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Judiciary
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 27, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Criminal Law – Crimes Relating to Animals – Conviction and Sentencing 2
FOR the purpose of establishing that certain crimes relating to animals do not apply to 3
certain activities; establishing that each animal harmed in a violation of a 4
prohibition against animal cruelty is a separate offense and shall be deemed an 5
individual victim for purposes of the sentencing guidelines stacking rule; 6
establishing that a conviction for a crime relating to animals may not merge with a 7
conviction for any other crime based on the act establishing the violation and that a 8
sentence imposed may be separate from and consecutive to or concurrent with a 9
sentence based on the act establishing a violation; and generally relating to crimes 10
relating to animals. 11
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12
Article – Criminal Law 13
Section 10–603 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 16
BY adding to 17
Article – Criminal Law 18
Section 10–627 19
Annotated Code of Maryland 20
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 21
2 HOUSE BILL 89
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Criminal Law 3
10–603. 4
Sections 10–601 through 10–608 and 10–626 of this subtitle do not apply to: 5
(1) customary and normal veterinary and agricultural husbandry practices 6
including dehorning, castration, tail docking, and limit feeding; 7
(2) research conducted in accordance with protocols approved by an animal 8
care and use committee, as required under the federal Animal Welfare Act or the federal 9
Health Research Extension Act; 10
(3) an activity that may cause unavoidable physical pain to an animal[, 11
including food processing, pest elimination, animal training, and hunting,] if the person 12
performing the activity uses the most humane method reasonably available, INCLUDING: 13
(I) FOOD PROCESSING ; 14
(II) PEST ELIMINATION ; 15
(III) ANIMAL TRAINING ; AND 16
(IV) ANY HUNTING OR FISHI NG ACTIVITY COMPLETE D IN 17
ACCORDANCE WITH TITLE 4 OR TITLE 10 OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES ARTICLE 18
OR ANY REGULATIONS A DOPTED UNDER THOSE T ITLES; or 19
(4) normal human activities in which the infliction of pain to an animal is 20
purely incidental and unavoidable. 21
10–627. 22
(A) FOR THE PURPOSES OF T HIS SUBTITLE, EACH ANIMAL HARMED I N A 23
VIOLATION OF THIS SU BTITLE IS A SEPARATE OFFENSE AND SHALL BE DEEMED AN 24
INDIVIDUAL VICTIM FO R PURPOSES OF THE SENT ENCING GUIDELINES ST ACKING 25
RULE. 26
(B) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY O THER LAW, A CONVICTION UNDER T HIS 27
SUBTITLE MAY NOT MER GE WITH A CONVICTION FOR ANY OTHER CRIME BASED ON 28
THE ACT ESTABLISHING THE VIOLATION OF THI S SUBTITLE. 29
HOUSE BILL 89 3
(C) A SENTENCE IMPOSED UNDER THIS S UBTITLE MAY BE SEPAR ATE FROM 1
AND CONSECUTIVE TO O R CONCURRENT WITH A SENTENCE FOR ANY CRI ME BASED 2
ON THE ACT ESTABLISH ING THE VIOLATION OF THIS SUBTITLE. 3
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 4
October 1, 2025. 5
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.